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Light intensity affects the growth and flavonol biosynthesis of Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.)

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Abstract

Response of growth and secondary metabolites to light intensity are useful measurements to determine suitable silviculture treatments for the cultivation of medicinal plants. Here, we analyzed the growth, flavonols (total flavonol, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin) content, flavonols yield per plant, and expression of flavonoid biosynthesis-related genes in 2-year Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) seedlings at four different light intensities (100, 76, 40, and 25 % of full sunlight) in a greenhouse setting. Across all light intensities, the 76 % sunlight treatment produced the highest growth of total biomass, root, stem, and leaf, indicating negative effects of either fulllight or heavy shading on Ginkgo seedling development. Both flavonols (total flavonol, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin) content and expression of flavonoid biosynthesis-related genes [PAL (Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), CHS (Chalcone synthase), F3H (Flavanone 3-hydroxylase), and FLS (Flavonol synthase)] in leaves were highest under 100 % sunlight, suggesting that full sunlight promotes the expression of flavonoid biosynthesis-related genes and increases flavonoid biosynthesis. The highest and lowest flavonol contents were found in leaves and stems, respectively. The 76 % sunlight treatment produced the highest flavonols yield while the 100 % sunlight produced the highest flavonoids content in leaves, indicating that flavonol production per unit land area depends not only flavonol content but also biomass. Overall, in order to achieve the highest flavonols yield per area in Ginkgo leaf-harvesting plantations, it is important to manipulate light conditions of field.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a Grant from the research program ‘‘The environmental inducing mechanisms of flavonoids in the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L.’’ (31070557) provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and “Research and demonstration of oriented cultivation technology in Ginkgo and neem plantations” (2012BAD21B04) provided by Science and Technology Department of China, and “The planting technologies of medical plantation for Ginkgo and camphor trees” (20120460102) provided by State Forestry Bureau.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forest Resources and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People’s Republic of China

    You Xu, Guibin Wang & Fuliang Cao

  2. Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, People’s Republic of China

    Cancan Zhu

  3. Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Guangyu Wang & Yousry A. El-Kassaby

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  1. You Xu
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  2. Guibin Wang
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  3. Fuliang Cao
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  4. Cancan Zhu
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  6. Yousry A. El-Kassaby
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yousry A. El-Kassaby.

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You Xu and Guibin Wang contributed equally to this work.

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Xu, Y., Wang, G., Cao, F. et al. Light intensity affects the growth and flavonol biosynthesis of Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.). New Forests 45, 765–776 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-014-9435-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-014-9435-7

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